Landing on Fate
by SleepingNanny
Summary: What if instead of just Gray and Lyon, Juvia was Ul's apprentice as well? What if it wasn't Juvia who first fell in love but Gray? How will their story go? Major Gruvia! Minor Lyvia! Rating will change in future chapters. (ON REVISION!)
1. When Everything Happened

**Author's Note:** I don't really write much stories, so I apologize if I have a lot of areas to improve. Also, English is not my first language… which is why I am apologizing again. I know you'll find a lot of grammatical errors, but I do hope you enjoy this story. Have fun reading! By the way, reviews are highly appreciated. *wink* In this story, **Juvia is both an ice mage and a water mage in this fic**… yeah... I know what you think.

**Warning:** Different character personality (in a cute way)!

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to put this? It's pretty much obvious that FT is NOT mine.

**Whole Summary:** As Ul stared at her three apprentices, she thought they were the weirdest combination. Her first student was head over heels to the youngest member of the group, and for the other two… let's just say they would grab any opportunity to kill each other. "You're just jealous because I'm obviously better than you." "In your dreams! You can't even fix your manner of speaking." "Hey, don't talk to Juvia-chan like that!" Even with all the altercation, the faint blush on the tsundere boy's cheeks did not go unnoticed by their master.

As happy as they are, wonderful things do not last long in a world full of darkness.

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( o-o)

. . .

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_Okay, she did not know what had gotten into her to accept another child under her wing. Perhaps it was the way her big blue eyes stared at her pleadingly, or the way she looked at her as though she had been searching for a home… for acceptance? Well, whatever…. With a sigh of defeat, she finally accepted the fact that her endurance was weak against children's cuteness._

_Fine. "Alright, you can stay," Ul said, ruffling the little girl's beautiful, wavy blue hair. Her pink lips slowly formed a huge smile as she processed the woman's decision; a smile that could melt the thick snow surrounding every bits of their surroundings._

"_Yay!" Of course, he was completely happy about it. "I can be with Juvia-chan forever!" The girl was obviously taken aback by the white-haired boy's bear hug, seeing that her eyes widened even more than before. I thought her eyes could never get any bigger. Ul smiled at the sight of the two children._

"_J-Juvia is really g-g-grateful, Ur-sensei," she beamed at her… while pushing Lyon away._

"_Lyon, stop harassing her." Her voice was so full of authority that the said boy immediately let go and stood up straight, knees buckling and face sweating even in the cold environment. Ul tried her best to stifle her laugh, but it was proving to be difficult the more she stared at the constipated-like expression on her student's face._

"_Anyway, we'll start training tomorrow morning." With those words said, the three made their way to their home. A pretty small house yet treasured in all ways._

"Oi, baka, wake up." _That voice…_

"Oiiii~ you're drooling. You think you look cute when you're sleeping?" _That awfully familiar laid-back tone…_

"Well, NO! You should be starring in a horror film!" _That despicable personality…_

"Let me give your movie a title." _The only person I know this stupid is…_

"The Hag on Elm Stree_–_" _THIS IDIOT!_ Before he could even finish his sentence, she punched the intruder right at the chin, instantly dragging her foggy mind out to reality. The bang echoed throughout the entire house, causing some decorations on the wall to sway. "Gray Fullbuster," she spoke through gritted teeth as she glared at the boy who was sprawled on the floor like a rag doll.

A small groan escaped his lips while he attempted to sit up cross-legged. It was painful, although somehow, it didn't sting much than the first time. Perhaps he was getting quite used to her punches_–_ but really, she hit like a man!

"Do you have to do that?" He grumbled, scratching the back of his head. His words only made the girl intensify her glare, and saying Gray was nervous was a huge understatement.

To his surprise, the angry female plopped her face down on the mattress once again, having her voice muffled by the pillow as she spoke, "Why are you even here, rival?"

Speaking of...

"Hey, today's lesson is Ice Make! I swear I'm gonna defeat you this time!" He pointed at her.

She was sure as heck he did not hear her groan, but then thought otherwise when a pillow hit her head.

Just like what he said, he won the round…

And seeing him smirking at her wasn't helping her temper at all.

"Good job, Gray." Ul ruffled his hair. He gave the woman a small smile before glancing down at their moping companion. Her arms were crossed while she pouted at the ground. She was indeed adorable in their master's eyes. "Juvia, come here."

When she refused to do so, Gray approached her; however, instead of looking at him, she suddenly found the snowy ground more interesting than her beloved sensei, especially than the person standing in front of her. "What does Gray want with Juvia now," she asked, still avoiding eye contact. It was until she saw a faint light did she turn her head to look at him. Her eyes widened upon seeing the small ice tiara on his palms.

She stared at him in disbelief. _He made this for Juvia?_

Everything was just like those love stories.

"I want to rub it on your face. My Ice Make is obviously better than yours."

But he just had to be an ass and destroy the moment.

Unsurprisingly, the brawl started in a blink of an eye. Gray and Juvia were rolling on the ground, attempting to strangle one another_–_ of course, with Lyon shouting his moral support for the latter. "Juvia-chan is so cute even in a catfight!"

"Aho! What do you mean catfight, huh? What are you trying to say?"

Soon enough, it was the two boys fighting. Juvia watched them with amusement evident in her eyes, observing the dark-haired mage. She could clearly see the change in his demeanor from the time they first met to the time he joined their small family, and that was what? Two years ago?

It was in the middle of the night when they saw each other.

"_Juvia can't believe it's her last week in the forest. Just five more days, and she's outta here! Ul-sensei will be so proud!" The lass squealed in delight, but her happiness immediately vanished as soon as she thought of the upcoming troubles she'll be experiencing on the remaining days._

"_Why does it have to be a forest?" Eyebrows knitted in annoyance._

_That was when she heard it… little sobs coming from the trees._

_Who could be wandering around the forest in the middle of snow season?_

_Wait a minute..._

_Could it be?_

_She suddenly felt the hairs on her back stand up on edge._

_Slowly, she approached the source of the noise, searching the surrounding area. The voice gradually became louder as she went deeper into the forest._

"_L-Lyon?" She tried to call out, expecting her friend to answer back._

_But nobody did. It only managed to make the crying sound stop– which was bad news– and it frightened her to a much greater degree._

_There were movements._

_A flash of black._

_Her head snapped to her right to follow the object– if it was an object to begin with, and clearly, it's not._

_Before she know it, she was on the ground, tackled by a creature whose black hair glimmered under the moonlight. Dark blue eyes glaring at her through short, thick lashes. Pearly white teeth baring at her like she had become some kind of an intruder._

_The grip on her collar loosened the second light shined down on their tangled form. The attacker seemed to have realized it was a girl under him…._

_Um… that didn't sound right._

_A gasped escape his lips upon comprehension. The lad pushed himself away from her as though she would eat his flesh anytime, although she wouldn't mind doing just that if it's with this cute boy._

_The bluenette stood up rapidly._

"_Whaaaaaat?" She blurted out loud, causing her to cover her mouth in shock._

_The lad, in response, eyed her warily before deciding on breaking the ice. "What are you doing here?"_

"_Juvia thinks she should be the one asking you that. What are __**you**__ doing here?" She poked his chest._

"_And why should I tell you?" His frown deepened from frustration, also confused of her manner of speaking._

"_Because– were you crying?" She cut her sentence the moment she saw his puffy eyes, concern washing all over her. He was taken aback by her question, completely forgetting about his mourning. The atmosphere around them quickly dropped, and it was suffocating the confidence out of the bluenette. She tried her best to prevent herself from shaking, and it was proving to be difficult with the stranger looking as if he was ready to kill._

_Something wet touched the ground._

_Her eyes instinctively followed the trail where it came from, landing on his very sorrowful eyes. They were glistening in his tears, cheeks red from the overwhelming emotion of misery._

_The image in front of her filled her with sadness. No one deserves to feel that way._

"_They're… gone… he… he killed them." He sobbed, running his hand from his mouth up to his forehead._

_She bit her lower lip as she slowly approached him._

_When she was finally standing before him, close enough to touch him, she placed her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, enveloping him in a warm hug. He could feel her tiny hand drawing circles on his back. He had no idea why he let her, but for now, all he could think of was that he needed a companion._

_Gray had never felt so lonely in his entire life._

_He cried._

_They stayed in the same position for several minutes; unfortunately, the young lad did not show any sign of stopping. He continued to mourn for the death of his family, and Juvia could very much feel its effects on her._

_Think, Juvia. Think!_

_Then it hit her._

_She gently pulled herself away from him before slamming her right fist on her left palm._

_A small light came out of her hands, earning her companion's full attention. He watched them glow with wander until it faded. There, on her palm, was a necklace which greatly resembled a sword. She handed it to him with a huge grin on her face, while he, on the other hand, took the item with hesitation._

_He scrutinized it, seeming astonished for a moment, and when he looked back at her…_

_He felt his cheeks burn._

_The petite girl was giving him the most affectionate smile he had ever seen._

"_Now, why don't you stop crying and let Juvia teach you ice magic." Her palms found their way to his cheeks, cupping them while she giggled playfully. This only made his blush intensify ten folds._

_Damn, she's pretty cute!_

_Alright! Change topic!_

_He coughed, waving her hands off of him._

"_You're an ice mage?"_

_She nodded enthusiastically. "I promised Ul-sensei that I'll be the best among the best!"_

"_Ul?" Recognition struck him like thunder._

_He can't believe it! In the midst of him giving up on his search for this certain ice mage, he stumbles upon her student in the forest? The least place he expected to find clues for her whereabouts! It had been a long time since he went searching for the perfect teacher. The master who would make him stronger. He wanted to become stronger so badly after going through his darkest days._

"_Take me to her." He demanded, leaving no room for refusal._

"_Well, at least tell Juvia your name first." She rolled her eyes._

_Just like that, they travelled together during her remaining weeks of training at the forest. They would usually argue and fight all day, but what did you know? Both secretly enjoyed each other's company._

_At the end of the week, Ul got herself a new child, but with the consequence of Lyon whining the entire month._

"I've heard enough of you! ORYAAAAAA!"

A giant block of ice flew past the two females, followed by a strong gust of wind that messed their hair. The next thing they knew, Ul had bumped the boys' heads against each other.

"You troublesome brats! I taught you that not to hurt but to protect. Hey! Look at me in the eyes."

. . .

.

"Oi, that's my share!"

"No, it's not!"

"Juvia-chan, you can have my share!"

"Give me that!"

"Hey, you're not Juvia-chan!"

Ur couldn't help sighing in exasperation. Seriously, do they always have to fight? Can't they stay in peace and let her rest for the day without hearing them argue.

"You idiot!"

"Says the one who speaks in third person!"

"Oh, stop joking around. Juvia knows you like her manner of speaking."

"I DO NOT!"

Guess not… Juvia and Gray can't live a day without a fight. It's inevitable if someone would ask her. Although, even with all the altercation, the faint blush on the tsundere boy's cheeks did not go unnoticed by their master.

She knew the boy was pretty much as head over heels as Lyon when it came to the young lass. If he wasn't so prideful, he could have been acting exactly like the albino, but that was where the two differ.

After their dinner, they slept in their respective futons: Ul was on the farthest left, followed by Lyon, Juvia, and Gray being on the farthest right. Their sleeping arrangement can sometimes be satisfactory, troublesome, and adorable at the same time. Satisfactory if she slept peacefully the entire night. Troublesome by means of Lyon crawling into Juvia's bed, and the latter would kick him back to his own futon. However, there were times when she would let him be, leaving Gray all grumpy the next day. And by adorable, she meant waking up in the morning and finding the three cuddling each other on Juvia's bed.

She just hoped it was the "adorable" one, but the "satisfactory" will do, too.

Awfully, something more unexpected happened.

Ul woke up at dawn, feeling the strangest sensation of losing a family. It was like when she lost Ultear… that feeling.

Sitting up straight, she looked at the two children sleeping soundly on their bed.

Wait, two?

Her eyes widened in realization. Her shaky legs forced themselves to stand up in panic as she searched for a certain bluenette. The rushing footsteps seemed to have woken up the other two when they groaned and sat up lazily,

"What's wrong Ul?" Gray watched her stumble around getting dressed for unknown reasons.

The older woman bit her lower lip, contemplating whether to inform them or not. _I guess it's best to have help._

"Do you know where Juvia went?"

Gray and Lyon glanced at the empty spot between them before staring at each other with questioning looks.

The white-haired boy gazed at her and spoke hesitantly, "Perhaps she went for a walk?"

Getting the woman's message, Gray stood up to grab his jacket. "Right, at three in the morning, You of all people should know she hates waking up this early," he said sarcastically.

Sensing the beginning of altercation, Ul decided to cut them off. They had wasted enough time.

"Let's go."

. . .

.

_There are many who don't wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don't wish to wake for the same fear_

Everything happened so fast.

First they were searching for Juvia, and the next thing he knew, Buildings and other vicinities were destroyed. Ul was in the front line, fighting a massive dark blue demon. He had horns that were pointed upwards and large, sharp teeth which were ready to claw out their master's flesh.

It scared him.

"Gray!" Ul called, making his head snap up to her approaching form. "Gray," she repeated, crouching down to his level. His dark blue orbs gazed at her fearfully, and it torn her apart. They were her light in her darkest days. The children who filled the empty spaces in her heart after she lost the only daughter she had. Ever since trio entered her life, she clung to the hope that she'd manage to live in the dreams she always wished for. To be a mother.

To be love unconditionally.

To love and be love by the children she raised wholeheartedly.

But she was clinging on false hope, she presumed.

_I guess having them alive without me is good enough… as long as they're safe._

"Gray, I want you to listen to me." She was breathless from the battle, and it was proving that she had little time left.

"Ul_–_"

"No, listen to me, Gray!" She shook him vigorously. "You have to get away from here. Take Lyon with you and escape. Search for a new home, a family who will love you as I love you_–_"

The sound of Deliora's roar boomed, interrupting her in the midst of her sentence. She looked back at her opponent in panic, making sure it wasn't attacking at their direction.

Her sight landed on Gray once again as she continued, "Whatever decisions you do, as long as it's for the good, I will always support you. After you find a new family, look for Juvia, and promise me to make her happy. Protect her by whatever means necessary. If ever something happens, stay by her side. Don't you dare leave her! And lastly," she kissed his forehead before she gave him her final words, "I love you, Gray. Don't forget to tell Lyon that I love him as well."

After those were said, she ran back to the battlefield with a dreadful plan formulating inside her mind. Adding to her fright, she saw a flash of blue as she neared the massive demon, and it was in that moment that she hated herself most. _I'm sorry Juvia, but I have to do this._

Gray could do nothing but watch her retreating figure. He didn't know why… he just knew he'll never see her again after; however, like what she said, he had to leave. Restraining himself from running towards his "mother," he grabbed Lyon and pulled him up, hooking his arm around his neck. He gave one last glance at the event, tears flowing down on his pale cheeks, and then left as fast as his exhausted body could.

"ICE SHELL!"

Gray heard her voice loud and clear, followed by a blinding light which engulfed the entire arena. He didn't dare look back, because he knew that magic too well. As he got farther, the noise slowly faded. They were so far away that the last thing he heard was almost indecipherable. The sound was so faint, so he wasn't sure if he heard it right.

"**SEAL!**"

_In the end, nobody knew what happened to the demon known as "Deliora." There were rumors saying that an elder saw a woman ran head on towards the monster before a bright light appeared, and the giant creature was engulfed by ice, freezing it from head to toe._

_Nobody knew how the giant block of ice suddenly vanished from people's sight, and the reason why the woman was never seen again. In the place where they last saw them though… lay a little girl who would forever be followed by the tears of the sky._

_Some said she was cursed by a witch._

_Some said it was the monster inside her that was causing the rain._

_But when asked, the child would simply say it was the tears of the mother who failed her._

.

. . .

( o-o)

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Next chapter will be events ten years later where Gray is already part of Fairy Tail and Lyon of Lamia Scale. He's taking missions in hopes of finding Juvia's whereabouts, but like the first time they met, they'll meet again at the most unexpected place in the most unexpected situation.

Again, reviews are highly appreciated! And I need a beta by the way….


	2. We'll Meet Again

I just reread the first chapter and I discovered a lot of typo errors. Haha! Ul would sometimes be Ul, and there were other shameful mistakes I've found. Anyway, I hope this fic become a successful one. This is my very first FT fic, so I'm not really expecting that much.

By the way, I changed my mind. I don't know if this will be a Gruvia fic or a Lyvia fic since I'm a total sucker for both of them. I've already planned the story but I think I'll mess it up a little bit. "wink* Ring Ring Banana Ring!

* * *

(TT_TT)

. . .

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Natsu didn't really know how long his friend had been staring at his drink. He and Lucy went out to train when they saw him spacing out like that, and to their surprise, he was still in the same position the time they got back. It actually made them worried. Just look at him! He hadn't even taken off his shirt! It was so… un-Grayish.

Lucy met her friend's glances to confirm if they were thinking of the same thing.

Yep! They think alike!

Gray was never this quiet.

"Natsu, what did you do this time?" She gave him a pointed look. "I called him a stripper?" He shrugged his shoulder as a response, successfully earning him a huge lump behind his head.

"That's obviously not the reason!"

"Then... I don't know!" Lucy raised her fist the second time, and that was enough reason for Natsu to ran around the guild, avoiding another beating from the blonde. Brown orbs landed back on the brooding man by the bar table. Even Lisanna had been looking at him with worry, yet she hadn't uttered a word. Maybe it was better not to bother him, since a not stripping Gray was one of the last things she knew how to handle, and that nakama of theirs was not as open as their favorite pink head, proving things to be much more difficult.

She saw him sigh for the 27th time.

Lucy was counting alright.

Just what was his problem?

They were used to him being gloomy every after mission; nonetheless, he would always find a way to hide it in front of everybody. Now, though, he's not even making any effort to look normal. She could literally see the dark aura emanating from his body, and to be honest, it was causing them to sweat drop. The aura was so dark that Natsu went out to go fishing with Happy instead of pestering Gray.

She was about to approach the ice mage when Mira came into the picture. Her slender, candle-like fingers tapped his shoulder. He tilted his head to the side, acknowledging her presence. The beautiful, young lady sat next to him. She remained silent for awhile until he sighed for the twentieth… wait… he already lost count. "Wanna talk about it?" A soft smile formed on her pink lips.

Gray glared at the glass in his vice-like grip, feeling as though sending daggers at it would answer all the questions in his head.

"I just…" Mira frowned in confusion. "You just?" She urged him to continue.

Another deep breath was taken.

"I want to go on a mission."

Mira flinched from her spot, appearing like an offended young woman beside him.

"But you just got back!" Something seemed to have dawned upon her the moment he saw her eyes widen. "Wait a minute… does this have anything to do with the girl you've been searching for?"

Oh, he totally forgot he had told Mira. The girl wouldn't just leave him be during his first "brooding" in the guild after failing to find **her** for the eleventh time; thus, he ended up spitting the truth in a flash. The interrogators should really hire her, perhaps they'll have lesser crime rate in the area.

Women. They were the worst enemy. No matter how much you hide it, they'll find a way drag out your dirtiest secret.

"The more I fail, the more the times I assume that she's dead."

"She's not." He raised a questioning brow at her while she smiled in response. "Trust Cana's 'instincts'." She winked at him, and that was enough to make him laugh a little.

Mira stood up and headed towards the bulletin, eyes scanning several pieces of mission papers on the board. After grasping the one which had been buried through time, she went back to her seat, handing the item over to him.

The edges were torn and some words were almost unrecognizable, but it didn't stop him from reading the offered task.

_Spy on the Phantom Lord Guild's Element Four. Reward: 200,000 jewels._

Spy on a guild? _Won't it look like we're asking for a war?_

"I don't think this mission will be good for me." He place the paper back in her hands, only to have it shoved back at his face.

"Come on! You need a break! It's just a spying mission, so as long as you don't get caught, you'll be fine." Gray stared at it for a few seconds before grabbing it with great hesitation.

He thought it was a coincidence when the loudest sound of thunder roared the second his fingers brushed against it. Little did he know that the guild he was going to investigate on had sent their own spies as well, and the intruders were dangerously nearing the place he now called home.

. . .

.

Dark clouds filled the sky, covering the light of the sun for long years. The rain continued pouring down in a mad way as the wind slammed against everything solid. Nothing changed, she took note. People still kept on saying that she was cursed, and she was getting used to it… used to the pain the words deliver. _Ul cursed Juvia because she was a disappointment. Juvia was not strong enough to defeat Deliora. Ul died because of her weakness._

The rain poured harder than before.

"What's wrong with you?" Totomaru frowned at her. He couldn't say he hated her rain directly since it was eating up his sunny day. Of course, having the element fire, he wanted things to be burning. Instead, he was in a cold place, soaked in the middle of the rain with his fire being extinguished. Damn, they will never be compatible comrades.

Juvia smirked knowingly. "What's right about you?"

Not to mention, they were not in best terms.

"Everything, you gloomy woman," he retorted.

She rolled her eyes at him. The guy was obviously a complete jerk. Aria and Sol watched the their exchange from behind, meeting each other's glances occasionally. If they didn't know any better, they might have thought they were one another's nemesis, but they weren't. Both of them just didn't find the other's presence in their own liking.

After a long silence, Juvia spoke out of the blue, and the content of her words had caught everyone's attention, especially the person who she was talking to.

"You know what? I really like your hair." She lovingly smiled at the fire mage, causing a tint blush to spread on his cheeks. He was alarmed alright! It was the first time she had complimented him in his entire existence in the Phantom Lord Guild. The other members also started to get confuse of the unfolding event as they stared at the people in front of them.

"H-Huh?" He looked at her disbelievingly, and it only made her smile widen more.

"I really like your hair," she repeated. "It's so cool that I wish…" She trailed off, and it made their anticipation rise to a higher degree.

They waited for her to continue, but when the word slipped right out of her mouth, Aria and Sol couldn't help their reactions.

"I wish you're just a hair."

Laughter echoed, not only in the vicinity, but also in the ears of the flame manipulator.

"TEME!"

Their team went wild again.

The piece of paper left forgotten on the floor with the mission's content written on it.

_Kidnap Lucy Heartfilia._

.

. . .

(TT_TT)

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Please review! I'm sorry if this chapter is pretty short. I'm having trouble with my time management. There are so many things I have to do, so I am afraid that I'll be updating in a slow pace, especially with me trying to update my other stories as well, stories I started when I was pretty much an amateur in writing- and I still am. LOL!

Next Chapter Preview! Two old sweethearts meet again, but not as friends, but as enemies who will fight for the sake of their own.

"You remind me of someone."

Blue eyes pierced through his darker ones.

"I always remind people of someone. Rain always remind people of someone."

"No. It's not the rain... it's your appearance."

"Why? Am I ugly?"

"T-THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

She waited for him to elaborate, and so he did.

"You remind me of a certain ice mage. You're a water mage though."

She stared at him.

Juvia stared at him.

She knew, and she wasn't going to say the truth any time soon.

Of course, fate had other plans.


	3. A Fantasy in a Reality

Thank you for the reviews, apap, NudgeThePyro, Mystery 8, and Guest for the review! I also give my gratitude for those who f &amp; f this fic. You inspire me! Sorry I didn't follow the next chapter preview. I have loads of things to do, and I just can't make this longer than the first chapter. Updating fast requires a lot of effort, ya know? Especially if you're a busy person.

* * *

(~￣▽￣)~

. . .

..

.

"It's been raining for awhile, hasn't it?" Laxus looked through the window. There were flashes of lightning in the sky with the occasional booming sound of the thunder. The noise was annoying him clearly, and it didn't help that Natsu was as loud as ever whenever he's all fired up.

"Let's take this battle outside, ice queen!" The pink head growled, storming out of the guild with a very angry comrade following after him.

"I'll make sure you'll cry like a baby, flame breath!"

Droplets of the rain touched Natsu's sun-kissed skin while Gray was still on his way out. The latter saw the man stop on his tracks and gaze at the crying sky. His anger seemed to have vanished upon the advent of another thought. With confusion, he walked out of the door completely and felt the drops of rain himself.

Soon enough, he understood why it had caught the dragon slayer's attention.

It felt weird. Something was completely off with the rain… as if it was covered with…

Magic.

"Natsu, can you smell anything?" He headed towards his friend's side, eyes scanning the vicinity.

Pink brows curled in deep thought. "The rain has been going on for hours, and it has long interfered with my senses. I guess I can only track down scents from three hours ago." He took a second sniff of the air for assurance.

When the male flinched, dark blue eyes shifted towards him instantly. "What is it?"

A deep frown formed on Natsu's face, and this only made the mage more agitated than before.

It was the first time he heard him use such serious tone; thus, Gray couldn't help the feeling of dread creeping inside him, and when he processed the pinkett's words, he realized he had discovered and experienced a new kind of emotion.

"I don't really smell anything but nature and your awful body odor."

It was irritation in its highest level.

His hands wanted to choke the life out of him so badly.

He made a gesture where his index finger and thumb inched closer that they were almost touching. "You know, I'm this close to punching you, flame brain!"

Natsu grinned at him goofily, but their usual bickering was short-lived when the bizarre water got itself remembered by the two.

_It's time to move._

They nodded at each other as a silent agreement and began to scout for any signs of danger.

(~￣▽￣)~

. . .

Pulling the final string, Lucy stared at her boots with joy written all over her face. It may be raining hard, but it gave her a reason to use the gift Levy had given her on her last birthday. "Cana, I'm going home!" She yelled through the noise, hoping that her message was caught by the only person who wasn't busy talking with anyone. The drunkard gave her a toothy grin, successfully relieving her worries.

_Drip. Drip. Drop._

Boots clanked on solid ground. The blonde watched them with delight as they gained attention from the female race. She was too busy marvelling over the material that she didn't notice the dark figure trailing behind her in the shadows. The moon rose behind the dark clouds, creating a dim light which partially illuminated the alleyway.

If Lucy was more conscious of her surroundings, she could have saw a pair of glowing blue eyes calculating each of her move.

The heavens roared once again as the rain poured harder.

"Shit!"

After a long hectic fast walk, her feet finally landed on their destination. A sigh came out of her slightly parted lips before she stepped inside her apartment, the shadow, on the other hand, stayed engulfed under the night sky, gazing at the open window of the small apartment.

A minute later, the stranger disappeared together with the last flash of thunder.

(~￣▽￣)~

. . .

"How did it go?"

"I didn't see anyone or anything other than the rain suspicious."

"I see…" Both stared at each other for a brief moment. They were undergoing a short dilemma about whether to spit out the question or just shut their mouth up. Gray scrutinized Natsu's appearance since he looked as if he had just been dragged down to hell multiple times. Natsu inspected him in the same manner, noticing how his comrade appeared like he experienced the greatest harassment of his life. He inwardly snickered, not knowing his image was nothing but worse than the man in front of him. Gray knew that constipated-look too well to ignore it. He was mocking him... Natsu was obviously making fun of him.

_This bastard!_

"You look like shit." Gray eyed him from head to toe, exaggerating a disgusted expression. "Suits you well." His smirk only widened even more when the dragon slayer charged at him, unfortunately for the pink head, the rain extinguished the bright fire covering his fist, so the battle ended up with a hand-to-hand combat. It was a fist fight to be exact.

They woke up in the infirmary the next day, totally forgetting to inform the others about the bizarre rain.

(~￣▽￣)~

. . .

"That stupid flame brain! I was supposed to leave yesterday for the mission. He knows I hate being behind my schedule." It wasn't everyday someone would ruin his plan, since everybody in the guild pretty much knew his love for taking missions, although only a few of them knew the reason why. Natsu was supposed to be aware of it, for he was like his best friend, a brother he had never thought he'll have one day.

So why didn't he tell him?

SImply because he never asked.

His gaze met the gray clouds hovering above the town. The atmosphere felt so gloomy, yet he couldn't stop loving and hating the rain at the same time. The color of the sky pretty much reminded him of a certain girl he had been dreaming of each night. He was glad that the hovering clouds kept him away from reality, a reality where he couldn't find her. Gray never admitted it, but he knew anxiety was eating him up alive.

What if she's gone?

His hand slowly made its way to his necklace which he wore day by day. It was his source of comfort, relieving him from any kind of negative emotions. Not a single day did he take it off, so it was kind of perplexing when he could not hold onto anything around his neck.

Alarmed, he searched his pocket frantically, and then proceeded to backtrack his paths in hopes of finding it somewhere on the ground, and not in the hands of a robber.

_I can't lose you, too!_ Okay, that made him sound desperate— not that he wasn't, since he was practically shoving people aside like an object just to find it.

Something shimmered in his peripheral vision.

Right there!

He ran towards it and was about to pick the item up, until he bumped into some stranger. He glanced at the person, muttering a short apology before returning to his previous task, only to stop midway through.

That silky hair which brushed against his cheek made him feel all nostalgic. It made him remember those days when he'll pretend to be asleep and bury his face into her hair, inhaling her sweet, addicting scent.

The scent of a forest after the rain.

He knew that scent too well.

Arms landed lifelessly by his sides as he stood up straight, and with wide eyes, he looked behind his shoulder.

The gods must have sucked the air out of him.

He saw a glimpse of pale skin glowing under the little amount of sunlight before the crowd filled his line of vision.

Mavis! Was it really her?

"Juvia!" Like a mad man on a lose, he made his way through the groups of people, roughly shoving them out of his way. It had been years ago since the last time he felt so alive. His blood was flowing fast from excitement, accompanied by his rapidly beating heart. Was that really her? He couldn't believe it! It must be Juvia! Because if it's not her...

Gray didn't know if he'll handle the pain this time.

She wasn't there.

Not a single trail.

Perhaps he hallucinated? Geez, was he in so much desperation to mix imagination from reality?

A pang of sorrow made his smile falter, and there he realized something.

He misses her so much to deny his feelings any longer. Longer. Longing.

Longing?

He's been longing for her smile. Her laughter. Her entire being.

_Oh, Mavis, I'm a total sucker!_

Passers by couldn't help looking at the man who had been slamming his forehead on his palm, as though he felt so stupid for asking a question with the most obvious answer. A kid even laughed at him along the way.

But the lady by the corner thought differently, for she had lived with him long enough to interpret his body language. A little smile formed on her lips as she gave the man one last look before leaving, blending perfectly in the crowd.

The boy she met before was gone; she could tell.

It would be a lie if she said she was expecting to meet him that soon, and she still could not process the reason why she had taken the risk to look back at him, having the knowledge that it was indeed the person she had been avoiding like the plague.

She will sure remember this day clearly.

_Juvia stood there for a brief second, rooted at the spot a few feet away from her childhood friend. He turned just a bit earlier than her, allowing him to see the moment of her turning around to-— perhaps— look back at him in recognition as well._

_However, before he could even see her eyes, other people seemed to have finally decided to let themselves be remembered by blocking his vision._

_Using this to her advantage, she had gone in a flash._

It seems that fate had plans for them, and she didn't know if she'll hate it or not.

Since clueless, the only thing left to do was wait.

.

. .

. . .

(~￣▽￣)~

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Again, reviews are highly appreciated. *wink*


	4. Lucy Gone Missing

While I have a long weekend, I'm going to try updating fast, 'cause I'll have a load of requirements to be submitted the following week. I'd like to thank those who reviewed and follow/favorite Landing on Fate: YukiOnnaMonet, CopDog, pinkishsilhouette, and MioKanon.

I have to agree with YukiOnnaMonet about the small flashbacks, the reason why I'm starting this chapter with a small memory of our favorite Gray. And also, all flashbacks here are crucial parts of the story, so don't even think about skipping it or you'll miss the point. You'll know why in the future chapters.

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(─‿‿─)

. . .

. .

.

_Amusement was dancing around him._

_Gray was sitting beside their teacher on the block of ice she made. They were watching the training between Lyon and Juvia, with the former practicing his offense while the latter failing on her defence. Her ice kept on breaking against Lyon's attacks, forcing her to lean on her dodging skills rather than her magic._

_She was obviously more on Static Ice-Make unlike the albino._

_CRACK_

_Another shield of hers broke._

_The bluenette seemed to be having a hard time defending herself from her opponent._

_He saw right through this and frowned in confusion. He had to say, Juvia's Molding Magic was accurate, which might be the reason why she had little trouble creating different kinds of object from Ice-Make Magic, but there was something wrong with her ice's MUST be a problem if it easily broke under minimal force._

_He met the stare of Ul and sent her a silent message. Her lips formed a straight line in response._

"_I see… you have noticed, huh?" She gave him a forced smile, ruffling his hair into a messy nest._

"_What's wrong with her?" _

_There was a pregnant pause, and the flick on the forehead was pretty much the least he expected from her. This perplexed him, causing him to space out for a split second. Her voice was stern, yet it held the warmth of love a mother had for her child._

"_Gray, there's nothing wrong with her. She's just different." His previous statement seemed to have sunk in when he lowered his head in guilt. She stared at the pout adorning his face, finding it challenging to stop herself from squeezing his chubby cheeks. He's just too cute!_

_Anyway, going back to the topic…._

_She faked a cough, earning back the lad's undivided attention. There, she continued where she left. "Juvia… isn't meant to fight. Her ice is very fragile compared to any ordinary ice mage's. All we can do for now is to let her feel she's the same with us."_

"_Can't we fix it?"_

"_I don't know, but I'm trying... as you can see with all these lessons."_

_After that day, Gray had always competed against Juvia, never failing to give her tips during their fight. Well, it was a "spar" if you asked him._

_However, Ul was no fool._

"_Are you sure you're a fighter? Lyon's stance is more acceptable than yours!" _

"_Shut up, you idiot!"_

_Gray was training her. He was hiding his eagerness to help her._

_Isn't it sweet?_

_There's just one flaw…._

_He's not hiding it well._

_With this thought, Ul inwardly laughed until she heard another crack._

"_Hey, that hurt!"_

"_You deserve it!"_

_Guess I'll have to end this "spar" before it gets out of hand._

Because— really— things get out of hand every time Gray is involved, so imagine his surprise when he came back after his mission to find Cana and the rest knocked out on the floor. In addition, Natsu was going on rampage! Fire was literally coming out of his mouth, scaring all their guildmates who attempted to calm him down. What's going on? Something went out of hand without his involvement. It's a miracle!

"The nerve! They kidnapped Lucy inside the guild! IN FRONT OF MY FACE!"

"Hey, what's going— HOLY!"

He was a bit certain that nearly half of his entire life flashed back through his eyes. If it wasn't for his fast reflex….

Thank the old man for all the dodging practice.

Another flame burst out from the dragon slayer's mouth, almost hitting him directly on the face. He didn't know if it was by accident or not, but he was sure as heck that Elfman was having difficulties in stabilizing the pinkette._ I guess there's no other choice._

Striding quickly towards the rampaging man, his fist connected roughly on his cheek, creating a slight swelling in an instant. "Cut it out, flame breath," he said through gritted teeth. This must have brought Natsu back to reality, for his clouded eyes began to gain their shine once again.

His onyx orbs shifted to his direction before they blinked twice. "Gray?"

Words were not needed during that moment, since his smirk screamed the answer for him.

A long silence filled the room. Everyone inside watched the exchange between the two teammates, with Natsu being in deep thought while Gray waited for him to speak up. Suddenly, from staring at the ground, the former male snapped his head towards the latter's direction, effectively surprising the mage he was talking to."You went to spy on the Phantom Lord, right?"

Dread crawled down on his spine as one thought entered his mind.

_I did NOT sign up for this._

Okay, forget what he had said earlier! He was– without a doubt– involved in this in a twisted kind of way.

"What does this have to do with my mission?" He raised a questioning brow, hiding the fact that he was having a bad feeling about where their conversation was heading.

Natsu showed him the most serious expression a happy-go-lucky guy like him could muster, and it actually caught the dark-haired mage off guard. His friend was never this serious, in other words, he meant business.

_Damn! What did I get myself into this time?_

(─‿‿─)

. . .

Gray, for the first time in a long time, did not curse his luck. It was the other way around to be exact. Did the gods sent him to his latest mission to lend them a hand for the upcoming trouble? If they did, then he can't believe his luck! He was more than willing to help a friend in need, especially a family whose life was in danger.

But, seriously, how can he shove the I-don't-freaking-recognize-the-people-you-are-talking-about information into his flame brain? The attackers were lurking around Fairy Tail the day he came to spy on the Phantom Lord, so it was evident that he didn't see them inside the enemy's quarters.

"What? You didn't see any large man with green coat, green hat, and a blind fold?"

"No. I didn't."

"How about a man with green hair and monocles?"

"Huh? Does this particular group has a green fetish? No!"

"A samurai man with hair discoloration? A woman with—"

"Look, I don't know if your description sucks or they just suck, and how many times do I have to say that the assault happened while I was away?"

"Darn it!" Natsu slammed his forehead on the table, creating a mini earthquake. This was why they never let him handle any kind of interrogation or information gathering. Erza was always the one in charge when it came to these things.

_BANG_

Speaking of, the door literally flew open, landing against the opposite wall to reveal the famous Titania. Her sharp glare pierced through them like daggers before her feet led her to their spot.

A hand firmly gripped pink locks, pulling the entire head away from the damaged object.

"Natsu, quit destroying our tables." Her frown made him nod like there's no tomorrow. He continued to do the same action even after the woman got his message. She stared at him as though he had grown another head at that moment, clearly having no idea of her effects at almost all Fairy Tail members. Deciding to ignore Dragneel's bizarre action, her sight landed on Gray, making him gulp in fear.

"Tell me every data you have gathered about the Phantom Lord.."

Now, **she's** the real deal.

After the woman sat down in front of him, he began spilling out all the details he had collected in his latest mission.

"During the first day, there was nothing suspicious going on to be honest… well... besides Jose's fucked up face," he cringed at the memory. The story went on, and it was only cut the second the name "Element 4" was brought up.

"Wait a minute! Four? If it was the Element 4 who attacked, then why was there five of them?" Ezra's question seemed to have dawned upon them, for they all went still in great deliberation. Perhaps the extra member was a backup, just in case the table didn't turn to their favor?

Gray gritted his teeth from frustration. This discussion had taken too long for his patience to handle. If the scarlet head wasn't there, he would have left before they could even start out a meeting, and Natsu, who'd been itching to run towards the enemy's base, might have done the same thing.

Of course, before they barge in, they should know who they were fighting against.

They needed to formulate a plan.

"Natsu, Happy, describe the opposing group again," Ezra commanded, earning another nod from the said party.

"Alright! The flame mage has this weird hair color. There's a portion of his hair that's white while the rest is black. I swear I saw him use a sword, so I'm guessing he uses a sword for close combat."

"Aye! And there's this gigantic man wearing a blind fold. He uses wind, and I bet he's the leader!"

"An old man with a monocle! I think he's the water mage."

"Iye, Natsu, the water mage must be the blue lady. Everything about her shouts water! Remember her blue clothes, blue eyes, and her octopus-looking blue hair." Both continued their elaboration without noticing someone's eyes widening as they became more and more descriptive about the said lady.

"Hold your horses! Blue eyes? Blue hair in an _octopus style_?" Gray abruptly intercepted.

_Why does that sound familiar?_

"Is there something wrong, Gray?" Erza eyed him curiously, because as far as she knew, he was usually the one who wouldn't overreact on something during discussions.

Registering what he had done, Gray shook his head and sat back down quietly. "No. Nothing. Continue with the plan."

Erza did what she was told, pulling out a piece of paper for further illustrations. She was so busy explaining the plan to the exceed and his owner that she hadn't noticed the ice mage drifting off to his own world.

_It sounded like Juvia… _He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in defeat. _Juvia is an ice mage._

Then, again, imagine his shock after finally meeting his destined opponent.

"Juvia?"

. . .

. .

.

(─‿‿─)

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Please wait for the next update! By the way, I give my regards to Chesca! Don't forget to give me your opinion. *wink*


	5. Lost and Found

I apologize for the late update. There are a lot of things I need to do and submit the next day. It's like living partially in hell, but as you can see, I'm trying my best to update every week for you, my dear readers. Thank you Sera Hime, FairyTailFanboy, and moonfairy014 for the very nice reviews. By the way, I'll try to fix the dialogue for you, FTFb-san!

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━=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)━

. . .

. .

Erza, Natsu, Elfman, Gray, and Makarov had been lurking around the main headquarters, and to be honest, nothing else could describe the eeriness it held. The place was undoubtedly quiet. It was too quiet that they even feared a small drop of water would echo throughout the entire building.

The two brains of the team found it suspiciously easy to pass through the enemy's guard, moving swiftly from place to place like a predatory snake. No one among the opposing guild found anything suspicious so far, which only meant they were in good advantage.

Little did they know that two pairs of eyes had been watching them from afar ever since they stepped into their foe's territory.

_This is bad. I can't pick up any other scent besides the rain. _Natsu quickly eyed the area for assurance before gliding to the next corner. _Man! If Erza and the old geezer let us do things my way then we won't be having this much problem._ Yeah, and his way was to barge into the Phantom Lord's HQ and bring back Lucy. See? Look how simple it appeared like.

He saw Erza wave at them, signaling for them to follow suit.

_Step. Step. Step._

Halfway through the hall, something huge suddenly fell in front of them, creating thick smokes that filled their vision. There were black spikes emerging out of the crater… wait… Natsu took a closer look at the figure in front of them.

From a crouching position, the long, spiky, black-haired man stood up tall, facing them with all his glory. His appearance screamed each word in the evil dictionary, and it was enough reason for them to see him as a threat. All six stepped back and prepared themselves for battle while the man smirked in response.

"Erza, take the others with you. I'll face this guy." Natsu stated, his eyes never leaving the danger in front of them.

Receiving a nod from Erza, the battle began.

. . .

. .

After they gained unwanted attentions, Gray can't help noticing how one of them would always get left behind to face the encountered enemy alone. First, it was Natsu; now, they were leaving Elfman to handle Sol.

And as the three of them ran, he could not shrug off the feeling that he's going to be the next distraction for the enemy. The sound of their loud footsteps bounced around the walls together with their dancing shadows. It felt weird though, especially the burning sensation he felt out of the blue.

Instincts kicked in as they jumped out of the way in a blink of an eye, nearly failing to dodge the giant fire ball aimed at their way. Gray saw some strands of his hair burn from near contact. He will never say it out loud, but he won't deny the fact that he felt his heart drop down to his stomach.

"Who told you to intrude our headquarters?" A voice boomed from above.

All heads lifted up and gazed at the man smirking down at them from the clear window.

Recognition hit them upon noticing his "hair discoloration".

"And who told you to kidnap Fairy Tail's Lucy Heartfilia?" The scarlet head sneered back at him. They both engaged in an intense glaring competition; however, before he could even reply, another person interrupted their conversation.

Feather light steps were heard, and all turned to the source of the sound.

"Totomaru, I'm going ahead. Gajeel-kun seems to be having a bit of trouble."

They had no idea why, but the temperature inside suddenly dropped after the female emerged from the shadows. She looked down at the team and tilted her head, locking eyes with the gawking ice mage. It was the first time she saw him up this close.

_Wow, he really did change a lot… into a hot one, too._

Wait! What was she thinking?!

"Hey…" Her attention snapped back to the wary Adonis.

A scowl leisurely formed on his lips as he scoffed at the young lady "My eyes are right here." He pointed towards his face. Juvia's frown deepened due to embarrassment, but this only made Gray smirk victoriously.

"I-It's not like I was ch-checking you out!" She gritted her teeth; a noticeable blush appeared on her cheeks. Erza and Makarov glanced between the two, finding it strange how they acted as if they were friends for a very long time. They knew Gray. He wasn't the type to joke around with strangers, especially to a person who caused harm to a nakama.

"Gray, do you know her," Erza whispered, only to receive a shrug from him.

"I'm about to know."

Confusion became evident on her face, not fully understanding what the man had said. The edges of his lips tilted downwards, together with his knitted eyebrows.

"You must be the water mage." He scrutinized their opponent's features.

"Tell me your name." His tone was demanding, and hearing this from him sort of gave her the feeling of nostalgia. Gray was much more demanding than Lyon from what she remembered… so this part of him hadn't changed.

"Why should I?" She wanted to smile so badly, but refrained herself from doing such act. The displeasure on his face tugged at her beating heart. Those eyes boring intimidatingly into her own...

He used to wear the same expression before, each time she would do things against his likings…

Ignoring the look he was sending her, she went closer to Totomaru and patted his shoulder.

"There are three of them. I think you should leave the rest to Aria." It was just a suggestion, yet the male took the words in a different way.

"Man, you don't trust me one bit," he retorted.

She rolled her eyes at him and snorted, "Took you long enough to realize it, ne? Anyway, I'll go ahead. Gajeel needs a little hand." Blue strands swayed with the wind as she jumped down to where the Fairy Tail members stood. Her stare didn't waver from the exit, refusing to pay attention to the people who readied themselves for an assault.

Juvia passed by Erza who watched her warily; then, Makarov whose line of vision was focused on the fire mage.

When her figure passed by Gray– to her surprise– thick ice had stuck her feet on the ground, forcing her to stand beside him, shoulder brushing against his. She blinked at the ground in confusion.

"I'm your opponent." He said apathetically, earning him a glance from the water mage.

Nobody moved for a moment.

"Master, Erza," he called, " we're leaving the rest to you." Erza, remembering their situation, nodded and sprinted with the older man.

Totomaru chuckled as he watched them bolt toward the exit.

He had no idea if they completely forgot about him or was just simply ignoring his presence, but one thought he did understand.

_Let the race begin!_

Erza and Makarov ran away from the arena with Totomaru chasing them from behind. His speed was incredible! She would be lying if she said escaping the man was a piece of cake... actually, the man was getting closer and closer, minimizing the distance between them.

_Shit!_

She halted her mad dash and met their attacker head-on, slashing her sword against the stunned mage's chest. Unfortunately, he managed to block her assault the last second.

"You're quick, aren't cha?" Sparks flew where their swords continued to grind. With much more effort than he expected, he ferociously pushed her weapon back and sweep his foot at her ankle, effectively tripping her backwards. His deadly sword dove in for the kill...

And was unexpectedly shoved aside by a very familiar dragon slayer.

Eyes widened from shock before a flaming fist hit him directly on the jaw, sending him smashing into the opposite wall. "Nobody is allowed to hurt my friends," the intruder growled. "I'm all fired up!"

While Totomaru busied himself with Natsu, Erza and Makarov took the opportunity to leave in search for Lucy.

She examined the event behind her as they kept a fast two fire-users ended up using physical combat; Gray and Juvia, on the other hand, remained still, murmuring words only both of them can hear. This sparked her curiosity, although now was not the right time to be wondering about his personal life.

Ahead of them lay two paths. She took a sharp turn to the left while Makarov shifted to their right.

_Earth, fire, and water. Three of the Element 4 have appeared._

Along the dim hallway, a glimpse of something moving alarmed her.

_The last one…_

She studied the man who was emerging from the darkest corner, accompanied by a strong gust of wind that cut through her skin. Shivers crawled down on her spine as she scrutinized the enemy's large form. This, she could tell, held great amount of power. The atmosphere became heavier since the second he appeared, and the smile on his face… no matter how friendly it appeared, her instincts will never be fooled.

_The last one is for me to defeat._

. . .

. .

"Gray, what the heck are you doing?!"

"Mind your own business, smoker!"

"Oi, you're the smoker here! Don't avoid my question!"

"Groping her was an accident!"

"No, you did it on purpo–"

"Don't ignore me, brat!" Totomaru cut in, throwing a kick at Natsu who merely avoided the hit. The latter backflipped to regain distance from the opponent. He wiped the blood on the corner of his mouth as he glared at his enemy. It was a tough fight, he got to admit. They were both physically fit, and while he had strength, Totomaru had speed on his side.

The last thing left for him to benefit from was timing.

He needed the perfect timing.

Natsu gave another blow, missing his opponent by half an inch this gritted his teeth when he lost track of the enemy once again. _Just one punch._

On the other side, the two mages ended up fighting on the roof. It was the result of Gray trying to escape Juvia's line of vision. He really wasn't expecting her to detect him using the rain. _Geez, I should have taken my previous mission seriously._

"Did Mr. Fullbuster do a wrong move?" Taunts usually don't work on him, but when it comes to this certain woman, he couldn't stop the vein from popping out of his forehead. _Only Juvia can make me this irritated._ Everything about her shouted Juvia, although there's a catch, and this catch was what making him doubt his conclusion. The girl he knew would mock him whenever she got the opportunity. She would laugh at his mistakes, point out his flaws, and annoy the shit out of him. Despite these terrible facts, the real Juvia was very caring. She'll panic each time he and Lyon would foolishly hurt themselves during their brawls, tend to their wounds even if it was not necessary. She would secretly give him food whenever Ul deprive him as punishment for being troublesome.

In other words, the girl from his past won't dare hurt her friends.

His hands clenched his pants at the thought.

He didn't know this person in front of him.

"Spacing out, Fullbuster?" She raised her hand, and the water mimicked her motion. It rose from the ground, circling the young maiden before speeding at Gray's direction.

He didn't dodge. This made her hesitate for a brief second, causing the water to waver and lose its initial force.

He took this as an advantage and met the attack with his palm.

"Now, I'm sure you're not her." He said as he pushed against the current. "You're nothing but an imposter!"

His last words were the only thing she heard before ice covered her entire body. The next thing she knew, she was falling head first to the water…

The perfect place for her to die.

_So… this is the end..._

She closed her eyes, feeling the cool breeze fill her senses. The feeling was heavenly, and it was like being set free from years of imprisonment.

If it would stop the rain… she was more than willing to die like this.

_**Death shall not come to you for I am here.**_

_What?_

Her eyes snapped open after hearing a loud roar. She looked around her in panic, trying to know if she was imagining things.

Nothing was there.

Just plain water and a painful sensation around her hand.

Wait...

She gazed at her hand that was being gripped tightly by another.

"Hold… on! I won't… let... you… die." He shouted between breaths. She stared at him with astonishment. How can somebody save someone who he was ready to kill?

A lone tear dropped down to her cheek, catching her off guard.

"Why… why can't I bring myself to hurt you?" Another droplet fell down at the corner of her eye. Her heart clenched at the sight of his face full of agony. She was used of his grumpy expression, but not this one.

Before she noticed it, her other hand reached for him and brushed his tear-stained skin. This time, it was him who stared down at her with surprise. Her touch was comforting, so gentle that he leaned into her touch unknowingly.

"Juvia is sorry. Juvia didn't mean to hurt Gray." Her voice cracked at the end of her sentence, followed by tears that finally let themselves out after several years of waiting.

Her vision started to dim, and she was glad to see his smile before her consciousness faded.

She had no clue whether it was a dream or not when his voice reached her ears, but she hoped it wasn't.

"Juvia, I finally found you."

His words lingered in her wonderful dream.

.

. .

. . .

━=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)━

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I'm sorry if ever you see a handful of grammatical and typo errors, since I didn't really check this before posting it. As you see, I'm on a rush, and I'm afraid I won't be able to open my account for a few days. Anyway, please don't forget to review!


	6. Welcome to Fairy Tail

Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful reviews. I also thank those who viewed this fic without leaving any review… or even follow or favorite this story. At least, you gave it a chance, and I appreciate that honestly.

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( TT v TT )

. . .

. .

.

_Ugh, my head aches. What happened?_

"Are you serious? Please, master, I beg of you!"

_I hear voices…_

"It's not up to you to decide. She will be the one to chose if she wants to stay or not."

_Stay? Stay where?_

"So... if she chooses to join Fairy Tail, you will accept her, right?"

_Join Fairy Tail?_

"... I will never forget how she hurt my children."

_Huh? Are they talking about me?_

"Master…"

"However, for your case, I'll accept her with open arms, but she must prove her loyalty to everyone in the guild as the catch."

"Thank you, master."

_I don't… understand…._

She tried to open her eyes, but her heavy lids were more stubborn than her will to wake up. She could feel her consciousness starting to slip away with her senses. It was a futile attempt, Juvia guessed, so she had decided to go back to sleep.

"_All I need to do is convince her."_

"_If you can."_ A merry laugh erupted inside the room before the soft click of the door shutting close was heard.

Finally, her eyes fluttered open, immediately spotting the bright lights hanging on the ceiling. Her hands flew to her face, covering her sight from the blinding object. Noticing her movements, Gray stood up in an instant, checking if the water mage was indeed awake.

"Gray? Is that you?" She squinted her eyes in a futile attempt to see through the clouds filling her vision.

That unruly dark hair, it must be him.

"What happened?"

He gave her a small smile, although unfortunately, it went unnoticed. Everything was still a blur to the bluenette. She couldn't decipher most things around her, especially small details which were decorating the interior of the place.

A hand patted her head, surprising her from the unexpected gesture.

Only he and Mavis knew how great the uncertainty he was feeling right now. The room temperature felt hot for his own liking, causing him to strip without his knowledge. He was down to his pants when his stupid mouth decided to spill out the news, not even bothering to sugarcoat it for the girl.

"Phantom Lord disbanded."

He caught her flinch slightly at the new information he just shared. Her mortified look lasted for a second until her usual gloomy expression came back. He was expecting her to panic or something, and so he formulated a plan in his mind to bring up the topic about her joining Fairy Tail instead. _Come on, say the magic word. Just "home" or anything related to it._ He waited with growing anticipation.

Juvia's silence was making him fidget. She was taking the news too well in his own opinion, and he'll be damned if she chooses to be a solo mage.

"Then… Juvia has nothing else to do."

_Well… sounds like "home" to me._

"Why don't you join Fairy Tail?" He took the chance, grasping it between his fingers. She stared at him as though he had grown another head. "Are you nuts? Juvia hurt a Fairy Tail member!"

He raised his eyebrow in a challenging manner. "Oh? You were just following your master's orders, right?"

That was a direct blow.

Her stare shifted to her lap as she contemplated on his words. Yes, it was true, but she couldn't make herself feel deserving of their acceptance and kindness. She felt horrible to be using their good nature to her advantage.

"Juvia doesn't think it's a pretty good idea."

Gray took a moment to understand her answer, blinking consecutively during the process. "E-Eh? Why?" He hoped he didn't sound so desperate; it might ruin the image he was trying to build.

She bit her lower lip as she averted her gaze from his, finding the wall much more interesting than the person she was talking to. Gray waited. He waited for her response, but nothing came out of the water mage's mouth. This made him think twice if Erza's impatience started to rub off him; he felt so annoyed at the moment that his nails dug into his palm.

He did not even realize this until soft, warm hands enveloped his.

Without removing her stare from the wall, she spoke sullenly while her delicate fingers pried his fisted hands open, "J-Juvia thinks Gray's g-guildmates won't like the idea since they h-hate her." Okay… since when did she become this shy?

She hesitated for a second before looking up at his face through her thick lashes.

His lips were tight.

Juvia felt anxious under his intense scrutiny. She half-expecting him to bellow at her…

Still, there was nothing.

He pulled his hands away from her hold and held hers with equal tenderness, causing her to gape at him in return. She noticed the edge of his lips curved up into a cocky smirk.

Something warm spread in her chest after hearing his next words, and this had managed to put her on edge. The sensation was familiar, yet it was bizarre at the same time. She could not put a finger to it, but she knew she had experience it a long time ago.

"Don't worry… I'm with you."

When she saw him grin, she found herself beaming back at him.

Because his smiles were contagious, and she loved each one of them.

. . .

. .

It was after a few weeks of hardship did Juvia only get accepted by the entire guild, and then, another month for them to cope up with one another. The same treatment was given to Gajeel Redfox, her best friend, who got in the crew due to her pleading.

Throughout those days, Gray and she would have their usual fights, tauntings, and lame altercations. Despite these, they took missions together and trained whenever both had their free time. No one had seen them apart since the day the bluenette entered the guild; they were too inseparable that they would always expect Juvia to be with him… enough to make Mira ship them so hard. The albino even referred to them as the "Stripping Couple." It astonished them at first upon seeing them strip in unison, and they all thought it was kind of cute. Gajeel, on the other hand, mourned over the fact that he'll have to deal with another nudist.

But, it perplexed them how alert Gray was to Juvia's stripping habit while he wasn't conscious of his. He scolded her every time, thanking the gods that the female was accustomed to leaving her tank top and cycling shorts on.

All went smoothly until their current A-class mission.

They were off to capture some thieves, and Gray just had to ask the forgotten question.

"Hey, Juvia," he called as he approached her, carrying pieces of wood for their campfire.

"Hm?" She tilted her head to the side while she watched the flickering fire in front of her. He examined her small figure, plopping down beside her in a comfortable silence.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before he decided to break the ice.

"How come you're a water mage as well?"

She flinched the slightest bit; nevertheless, he caught her in the act.

"I don't know either," she said in a whisper,

No response was heard that night.

And somehow, he felt the distance between them grow.

She was sleeping a bit close to him, but it felt like she was miles apart from his grasp.

_What happened before I found her?_ It bothered him, really, yet he decided to leave things be. If he had to wait until she's ready, he'll wait.

_So, for now…_ He turned his body to his left, facing the back of the sleeping woman near him. He sneakily crawled his way behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

With a content sigh, he buried his nose in her fragrant hair and drifted off to sleep…

Oblivious to the maiden's eyes that were wide-open.

.

. .

. . .

( TT v TT )

* * *

Sorry if Gray and Juvia are OOC, but I need them to be for this plot of mine to work. I'll try my best to keep them in character, so don't worry. Anyway, please leave a review! The next chapters will be the rising action of this story.


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